When you get to where you want to set up your hanging belay what method do you use? Do you place the first piece and hang off it to set up the rest, or do you do it all with one hand while hanging on with the other? The latter seems more difficult.

Understood, but when you clip into the one piece do you take onto that piece, and then setup while hanging on the one piece leaving both hands free, or still use one hand to hold onto the rock since it is only one piece that is protecting you? This piece should be bomber since you will be using it as part of your anchor. I guess what I want to know is, is it ok to hang off one[b/] piece while building an anchor?

Yes it is O.K. to "take " on the one piece, if it is good, if it isn't back it up. Then, with your belayer ready, you can free up both hands to build the station (which is much easier and safer with two hands). Manny hanging belays consist of bolts, in that case clip a 'biner to one of the hangers, then clip your personal anchoring device to the 'biner, that way you'll be able to leave without disassembling the anchors or having to leave a designated locker behind. (a designated locker is one that stays in the same place and does the same job all the time)

I put in a bomber piece and clip a daisy to it. I have found that keeping one daisy on your harness with a locker on it simplifies setting up an anchor or stopping anywhere on the route. You can clip it in as long or short as you like, which beats yelling "take" a bunch of times as you remove stretch from the rope. It is also pretty handy for looping around a tree as an anchor and it is length adjustable so you can move around without any hassle.

Hanging belay? What I do is place the best piece I can get and tie a knot in my lead rope and clip in. If its really a sketchy place and I can not tie a knot in my rope I'll ask the belayer to hold me until I can get on an anchor. Since I am hanging on a bomber (the best I can get) piece, I may go off belay before I finish my anchor (this allows the second to get ready). I will then set up my anchor, and clip into the power point. I will usually leave my rope in the first piece and use three (or more) different pieces to set my anchor with.

The anchor is your most important part of the entire belay system.... make it good.

Exactly the same as radistrad. I tie a clove hitch in the first bomber piece, then complete the anchor using a webolette. However, I do not take myself off belay until I am completely tied into the new anchor.

If it is a hanging belay, I probably aided up to it, so I would just stand on my last piece and build an anchor.

But in the event that I ever get good enough to free climb routes that have hanging belays, I would place a bomber piece, clip in with a quick draw, stay on belay (even if the belayer ties a mule knot in the rope so he can be hands free), and construct the anchor with both hands. However, it will be quite some time to when I am free climbing that hard (I hope).

“Since I am hanging on a bomber (the best I can get) piece, I may go off belay before I finish my anchor”…

Radistrad has more courage than I. I would never take myself off belay while hanging only on one piece, no matter how bomber. If that bomber piece blows you could end up taking a dirt nap. They teach S.R.E.N.E. for anchors, but we are not talking about an anchor, just what you are hanging on while trying to construct one. I still would feel more comfortable staying on belay giving some redundancy to my position. THIS IS NOT saying that Radistrads method is incorrect, he just has a different comfort level than myself. In other words, I am kind of chicken$hit.

Maculated, I will make the effort to go scout Rocky Butte, in an effort to refute your claim of no multi-pitch climbs in the area.

And speaking of which, last weekend, I flew in a small plane over Lopez Lake, and out towards Pozo. And guess what? A GNARLY EXPOSED ROCK RIDGE, suddenly appeared. There is no other ridge outcropping like it in the area, that I've seen. A rather long, straight cliff, maybe one or two miles wide, just pops out of the dirt hillside. It's accessible from a mountain road that is amazing close. From the road, it's basically hidden from view, though. It looks like only a small outcropping is visible from the road, but would indicate where to walk towards. It's hard to judge such things from 4000 feet, but the cliffs looked to be almost vertical, solid, and at least 200 feet high.

I'm going to scout that one, too. So I can get my name in The Guide 8-)

I don't see what is wrong with using a daisy (static piece) to "hang" off of while setting up your anchor. If the piece happens to blow you will be caught by your "dynamic rope." Perhaps it us just a warning from BD to protect themselves.

I personally like using daisies for 2 reasons: 1. No rope is used so the next pitch has the entire length of the rope if needed.

2. Daisies are easily adjusted to varying lengths and work great if the belay is crowded (i.e. 3 person team) or confined.